


Neon Lights

by igotphonecalls



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Comedy of Errors, Curiosity, Dancing, Eventual Happy Ending, Fluff, Homelessness, Joshua is a lowkey stalker but not really, Light Angst, M/M, Multiple chapters, Mystery, Romance, So yeah, Soft Wen Jun Hui | Jun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-01-12
Packaged: 2019-03-03 22:36:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13350933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/igotphonecalls/pseuds/igotphonecalls
Summary: It's in the streets at night under the neon lights where Joshua discovers something or rather, someone, unforgettable.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> first of all! i want to thank you for supporting all of my other fanfics and i hope you enjoy this ff  
> secondly! this will be posted on wattpad as well so if you ever wanna hit me up there my name is atlonglxstheweirdo i write wonhui ffs, taegi and im working on jun x svt and jun with every ship stories as well and they shall be posted soon!  
> also the angst will be very light it will mostly be fluff and bad humour because i laugh at everything (^:  
> now enjoy!  
> (also it's a chaptered ff instead of my usual lengthy ones)

The rain pitter patters along the concrete path, hitting the hardened cement harshly and mirroring the bright luminescent signs in the puddles of water. It's dark out, Joshua declares. The blackened sky along with the dark, grey clouds hides the stars, keeping them out of sight. Pollution is partly to blame but also because of the depressing weather. 

Although it may not be Sunday ─ or even morning for that fact, Joshua still hums the familiar lyrics, 'Sunday morning, rain is falling' as a way to confront the dark as crazy as that may seem. Actually, it sounds normal; for him at least. 

He walks with confidence down the quiet street; shoulders back, posture straight, arms casually bouncing at his sides while he strides across the pavement with ease. He doesn't fear the dark ─ the dark fears him. 

Joshua's used to these streets, probably a little more than he should be but it's pretty difficult to say no to your friend who offers you a drink all so they can complain and whine about their obvious crush on someone. He doesn't mind it though, he'll take a free pint of fanta over watching the news and losing sleep for no good reason any day. 

He walks into the usual bar that foreigners recognised as Beer and Hof so quickly that he doesn't take notice to a mysterious man sitting amongst the neon lights. The bar is quite beautiful, he acknowledges. The place is decorated with dark brown oak tables filled with plastic white roses and long, rectangular wooden benches alongside them. The mini bar is upfront and centre, the shimmering and vibrant mood lights glistening on the different bottles. Five chairs are located at the bar, one taken up by his friend. 

His friend is currently chugging down a pint of Soju which has massively been watered down with sparkling lemonade but will still nonetheless get him drunk. The sight prompts him to laugh as he makes his way over to his 'friend in need.' 

"Soonyoung...you realise one of your roommates are going to have to pick you up again if you keep drinking like that, right?" Soonyoung nods, bright red face and black strands of hair sticking to his sweaty forehead. "I do not care! I will drink until I forget about her!" 

Joshua sighs, taking a seat beside his 'heartbroken' friend. "I'm guessing you finally confessed to her then?" 

"No shit, Sherlock. I asked her to get some juice with me and that we could maybe hang out afterwards and she was with her boyfriend! I'm surprised he didn't try to beat me up." Joshua smiles sympathetically and pats the wounded boys shoulder. "There's plenty of other fish in the sea, Soonyoung. I'm sure you'll find a beautiful clownfish soon. Your name is _**Soon** young_ after all." Soonyoung facepalms, ordering another drink along with Joshua's usual pint of cold orange fanta. 

"Well fish are dying! Thanks to plastic so yeah, I'll probably end up with a slimy eel." 

"Actually, eels don't usually swim in the sea. They more so like to live in rivers and lakes so the chances of you getting an eel is unlikelyー"

"─Why did I invite you again?" 

"Probably because no one else is nice enough to watch you drink away your sorrow at 3 a.m." Joshua snickers before enjoying a sip of his icy drink. Soonyoung doesn't comment any further, instead, he washes away his final words with another pint and slowly drifts off to sleep so within the next hour, a grumpy Seungcheol is forced to drag the drunkard away. 

Joshua decides not to leave just yet as the bartender seems to have a hard time serving out all of the drinks so he gives him a lending hand. The bartender smiles ─ that's one good deed done for the day. 

Once he leaves, he's all alone in the brightly coloured streets. It's rather amusing; a street with many lights but no people it's as though they're afraid of the light. That, or the fact that it's 4 a.m and not many people are mad enough to stay out that late. 

However, as Joshua takes a left turn down a lit up alleyway, he sees a black silhouette at the end of the alleyway stretching upwards while twirling around the bright signs and he can make out a discernible smile as the figure smiles up at all of the pretty lights. He's unable to tell if the silhouette is that of a man or a woman but he assumes it's a man due to the 'boyish' clothes.

Nonetheless, he's interested as to why someone would be out at this time. He doesn't go toward the figure at first, he waits until the person starts walking and slowly follows after but as he reaches the end of the alleyway, the silhouette quickly vanishes, leaving Joshua puzzled. Maybe the person saw him and thought he was a giant creep. Not surprising, it's not every day a random person follows you down the street for no reason. 

Figuring it's best to let it go, Joshua takes the quickest route home then plops down on his old brown leather couch. Sure, it's not the prettiest looking but it's definitely one of the comfiest. 

Around him, his living room walls look desaturated as if the colour was sucked out, his oak door painted in a white gloss to make it shine despite the obvious wooden line going down the middle to where the lock is, making it extremely less impressive. He was meant to get to it, but he never really went out of his way to actually do it. It was like a new years resolution; one he couldn't keep, one he didn't want to keep. There's a few frames of different cities hanging around and a mirror near the door. Other than that, a coffee table is set in the centre, close enough so that Joshua can put his feet up on it while watching the news channel on his 32' inch t.v screen. 

The news bores into his soul. Same storylines, same unenthusiastic voices, same lack of empathy. The only thing different is the faces.

Normally, he's not too fussed about what's being broadcasted ─ the news entertains him but today is different. Today, he's tired. Tired of injustice. Earlier whilst he was net surfing he found out that the council of a certain area in Britain had forced people who were homeless to get off the streets because of the Royal wedding. It was appalling, Joshua thought. If you're homeless it's because something has gone wrong, life has been unfair to that person. Why should people who have a 'higher status' be allowed to seamlessly walk over someone of 'lesser value?' People should be **helping** them but no, they just don't want to be seen in an ugly light so they cast the people in need away, to lurk in the shadows of poverty and uncertainty. He doesn't enjoy thinking about it much so he puts it to the back of his head, focusing on the happy things in life instead. 

Deciding that he's tired, he hopes that the music on his phone will keep him awake. Instead, it doesn't. Within a few minutes he's already drifting off and soon enough, all that can be heard is the light snores and soft piano. 

 

⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕

The next day, Joshua wakes up to the sun shining through the cracks of the curtains, forcing his eyes to close faster than they were opened. 

With a groan, he stretches then shimmies off of the couch, blindly walking over to a safe spot so to protect his eyes. Once he's finally in the clear he makes his way to the porcelain bathroom to brush his teeth all the while checking his phone. He's received messages from: Soonyoung, Seungcheol, Jeonghan and Hansol. 

 

 **SooNStar** : _I feel like death_

 **KingHong** : _Well I am death._

 **SooNStar** : _Okay then grim reaper cool your jets_. 

 **KingHong** : _(:_

 

 **icecreamscoups** : _how does one delete another from their life???_

 **KingHong** : _Take them out of your bio??_

 

 **HANSOLO** : _Seungkwannie is being such a drama queen somebody save me_

 **KingHong** : _Damn, someone's trying to steal your crown?_

 **HANSOLO** : _ᗩᒪᙡᗩᎩᔕ!!!_

  **hansolngretel** : _hyung! hyung! will u come to the store with me tonight? chan refuses to go w/ me and mingyu hyung said he already went with minghao! :'(_

 **KingHong** : _Of course, Hansol! I'll see you at seven._

Spitting out the foamy paste he rinses his mouth with mint mouthwash before getting changed out of earlier clothes. He settles on wearing a plain white long sleeved shirt with a pair of dark jeans that cut off just above the ankle along with a match of red socks and red converse. Too lazy to style his jet black hair, he lets it rest across his forehead. 

For some reason, the silhouetted figure is still on his mind. Maybe it's the mystery that has him so intrigued because it isn't exactly normal to be unable to see a person's face when there's lights surrounding them. Or maybe it's just interesting because Joshua doesn't really have an interesting life himself. Sure ─ his friends are entertaining but he himself? He lives a rather elementary life: genuine friends, great condition apartment, a family who loves him and he's also been in quite a few relationships. 

But something in his stomach tells him that this 'person' isn't 'simplistic' nor 'normal' to say the least. 

Forced to put the image out of his mind of he'll look like a nut job, he plays subway surfers on his phone for the next few hours then makes food and ultimately goes to see Hansol an hour early. The sun sets a lot faster due to the seasonal change so before Joshua even makes it too the latters apartment, the moon is already out and the stars are blinking bright. 

The temperature change becomes apparent as Joshua's teeth begin to jitter, creating a chattering sound. He should've wore a coat since it _is_ winter or at least bundle up but no matter how 'logical' his friends deem him to be, Joshua is _**forgetful**_. 

Once he gets to the door his fingers feel frozen solid like miniscule icicles as he knocks on the chipped door with barely any strength to clench his hands info a fist and bang loudly on the wooden, rectangular object. 

Hansol answers straight away, motioning  Joshua to come through. Desperate to find warmth he runs straight to the heater then places his hands on the ridged radiator, allowing the warmth to seep through his skin. 

"Hyung ─ why did you come here an hour early? Also, why aren't you wearing a coat?" Hansol glares at him, brows quirked. Joshua smiles sheepishly, "just thought we could go early and I forgot to bring one, sorry." Hansol shakes his head before going into Mingyu's room to grab something. He returns with a black coat and gloves. 

"Catch." With icy, sore hands now warm and painless, he is able to latch onto the thick clothes then sticks them on. Sure, Mingyu may be 6'2 but the extra clothe is worth it. 

"Thanks. Are you ready to go now?" Hansol nods, buttoning up his bright blue coat then pulling the hood over his head. "Let's go, hyung." 

Once they leave for shopping, the neon lights are lit up once again. It's not the same place as yesterday  ─ signs consisting of greens, yellows and blues whereas the one's he saw the other night were of pinks and oranges. It's to be expected though; they're nowhere near where he was  less than twenty four hours ago. There is more people this time but still not enough to cover a street. 

As they're about to enter the store, Joshua witnesses the same figure from yesterday wearing the same attire. He still can't see his face but he can make out that it's a male now. The man leaves far too quickly for Joshua to see him but he remembers what he's wearing: black, oversized short sleeved shirt with a picture of a face with red print, torn pyjama bottoms and one white sock, shoeless. 

"Hyung. Hyung! Aren't you coming? You're staring into space." Hansol who was the actual one spacing out, didn't recognise the mysterious man so Joshua is left to look like a crazy person. Again. "Sorry, Hansol. Let's get the shopping done." They walk into the shop and for the next hour all Joshua can think about is the mysterious stranger who also seemed to 'forget' his coat. 

 

⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕⭕

"Bye, Joshua hyung! Thank you for coming with me today." Hansol grins before returning to his apartment. Joshua said the same, telling Hansol to report back to Mingyu that he'll bring his coat back tomorrow. 

Rather than going home he takes a detour, a place already in mind. He walks down to the roundabout then straight ahead until he sees the blue neon sign saying, 'open.' 

He follows the directions, wandering down the stairs until he reaches the underground area. Inside the room there's a range of different sizes  and colours of luminescent squares hanging up and a black dance floor is centered in the middle. Twenty people stand around the dance floor  while a man dressed in a black ensemble with a gold microphone in his hand steps out onto the space, probably to announce the next contenders. 

"Next up we have **Timo** vs the undisputed champion, **Breathe**!" Timo steps up, hair in a cap and blue tank top reaching his thighs. Joshua assumes from his attire that he's a street dancer. However, things are much more confusing when Breathe steps out. He's wearing a mask that is black but has white and grey painted down it, giving it a very expressive look. The mask at the end where the chin is has a point, making the mask look extremely 3 dimensional, as though the mask isn't a mask at all. The man is shirtless, revealing tanned skin and lightly defined abs (not that Joshua cares about that.) His pyjama bottoms are white and torn, same as the mysterious person from before and he as well, only has one sock on. 

Then it hits him.

_It hits him like a lightning bolt._

It's him. 

First, Timo begins, his arms popping and locking then forming certain shapes with his body. He misses a few beats but recovers from the mistakes easily, rotating his arms and then landing on his back effortlessly. 'Breathe' is next. The hard hitting beat contrasts with his graceful dance moves so it draws out far more emotion. When the beat drops, Breathe does a back flip to match the tempo then he begins circling around the dance floor, adding some movements that Joshua would consider martial arts to the mix. He ends the performance by banging his fists on the floor to match the beat and as the music becomes lighter, the less he hits the floor almost as though his cry for help is being silenced since he curls up into a ball at the final note. 

Joshua is stunned. The group of people take a few minutes to respond, his dance acting as a trance to people, enticing them. There's a roar of cheers, establishing that breathe is the winner of the battle. 

The prize isn't a lot, about 10,000 Won which would only be a small meal at an inexpensive restaurant but Breathe accepts it, shaking the person's hand. He puts on his shirt then proceeds to leave the building with his mask on. 

Joshua waits a few moments before following the man out. He sees him take a turn into where the lit up signs are, probably to go to a store. Instead of acting rationally, Joshua finds himself walking down the same street then waiting for him to come out of the store. Sure, he's verging on the edge of being a stalker but he just wants to make sure he's not crazy. Scratch that, Semi-Crazy. 

The boy comes out quite quickly, hot ramen in his hands as he begins stepping over the cracks in the pavement and humming a cheery song all the while enjoying his spicy food. Quite peculiar, Joshua deems him to be. His mask is no longer on but he still can't fully see his face. 

He needs to take a chance. 

So he does. 

Careful not to scare him, Joshua slowly walks towards the boy, not entirely positive on how to approach him. Before he can even approach him though, the mysterious male has disappeared. "...Am I just imagining things?" 

Turning the other direction, Joshua is left to go home with one question in his mind, why can't he forget the boy hiding at night among the neon lights? 

 

 


	2. Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's cold in Seoul, but one person is warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ASDFGHJKL SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING I'VE BEEN BUSY WITH MY ART AND A-LEVELS

It's a cold day, Joshua reminds himself once more. Last night when he had fallen asleep it snowed despite the ' _highly accurate_ ' weather forecast predicting there would be ' _clear skies ahead in Seoul.'_

At least he remembered to wear a coat this time. Moments ago he had returned Mingyu's coat back to him and now he's making his way to work. 

Some may think he's a barista, what with the gentle voice and warm smile but no. Joshua Hong is a **Lollipop man** not a Lollipop woman. He is **determined** to break the gender roles one stop sign at a time. His bright chartreuse coat shines brighter than his friend's whitened teeth and his baggy, green, elastic trousers act as an insulator, warmth being provided so that the cold doesn't bite. 

The snowflakes begin to fall ─ one landing and dissolving on his tongue. Although the insulated clothing brings warmth, Joshua can still see it is below minus when the people around him are shivering ferociously: arms folded and fists clenched, possibly to hold onto whatever heat they have left. 

The neon lights are not lit up since it's day time, making the sky seem gloomier than ever. The grey clouds create an uncomfortable atmosphere but the snow is soothing in a way. The dark clouds emit white flakes; a contrast between the two but not necessarily a scary one. 

Joshua feels like a dead man walking, however, as the street has gone silent. The quiet chatter has vanished. Everyone has disappeared into thin air, as if they weren't really there in the first place. Cars have abandoned roads and only a few stores are open. 

He heaves a sigh, shifting his feet so that his weight is no longer being put on the left side. 

"Beautiful weather today, _isn't it?_ " Joshua snaps his head toward the sound, only to see 'Breathe' with his mask on. He seems cheery but he's wearing the same clothes as the previous days. If Joshua was to be completely honest about his thoughts, he's surprised the boy isn't dying from hypothermia or at least shivering because of the terrible weather. 

No facial features can be made out, only a deep voice and a heavenly hearty laugh ─ more contagious than yawning. He's quite a bit taller than Joshua, around 5'11 or so. 

"Well, it isn't the greatest. Still, I have to admit it is rather pretty." With ease, Joshua is able to smile despite the weather dropping in degrees by the second in an attempt to either _a.) make Joshua's life hell or b.) test whether his acquaintance is actually human_. Joshua declares that it's both of those scenarios. 

The masked man giggles once more, the delightful sound echoing throughout the streets and ringing through Joshua's ears. "True, I suppose the sun would be much better if you were wanting a tan." Joshua laughs along, nodding his head in agreement. 

Joshua doesn't worry about the thought of an awkward silence as 'Breathe' is quick to ask questions. "So, what brings you out here into the snowy wonderland? There's not many people out, apart from you and me of course and I most certainly know my way around here." 

Instead of answering the playful man's question, he has a few of his own. "Why are you wearing the same clothes from a few days ago? Aren't you cold? I mean you must be! You only have one sock on and your shirt isn't even long sleeved. Also, why do you wear that mask? Don't people ever question you?" Joshua takes a big breath at the end, as if he hadn't been breathing throughout asking questions. 

He takes a while to respond, fingers stroking the plastic chin. "That's a lot of questions. I don't really **know** if I can give you all of the answers, though," _Breathe_ chuckles although there's a sad ring to it. The laugh isn't as hearty, nor as energetic, mischievous even.

"Well, firstly I don't _own_ any other clothes. Actually, that's not true. I have clothes back in my hometown but I wanted to start fresh! I wanted to leave the past behind, honestly. But when I came here somebody ー a homeless person to be exact, had tripped me up then stole my shoes and unfortunately I lost my poor sock to the mud. He was a true trouper." The boy fake sobs, making the story seem a lot less traumatic. 

"And you aren't scared of Koreans?" He enquiries, brows raised and a look of astonishment present. "Am...am I supposed to be?" The boy laughs unsurely. _Damn it, Joshua. Don't scare him._  

Joshua replies in a rushed voice, "No! It's fine, it's fine. I was just wondering. I'm glad you don't dislike Koreans. What about the mask?" 

The boy cheers up instantaneously. 

Joshua prefers it like that. 

 

Breathe taps the side of his mask, mischievous as he asks, "Isn't it fun to be something you're not?" Joshua's eyebrows furrow, "but wouldn't you like to be yourself?" 

"I'd like to be a cat, preferably."  

"A cat?" 

"Indeed."

"But why?"

"Not **everything** requires an answer, mister. Sometimes, things just _**are**_ what they want to be. If I want to be a cat, then a cat oneself can be. Anything can be anything and that's the beauty of it." 

To change the topic, Breathe states, "Since you enjoy questions, would you so kindly answer mine? Shouldn't you be going home now? There's nobody out here, it's snowing and no cars are around." Joshua's eyes follow whenever the latter mentions their surroundings. 

However, as he's just done observing, _Breathe's_ voice seems much more farther away as he declares, " _I don't even think I'm here, either_." Bewildered, Joshua turns around to find he's been talking to an inanimate red post box this whole time. 

Or maybe he **was** talking to him but the boy simply vanished. Even at that, Breathe is still human. There's **no way** he could run so fast that he essentially evaporated! 

Embarrassed by the unusual situation, Joshua paces in one spot for what seems like hours, thoughts roaming through his head like a neverending whirlpool of confusion. 

 

__________________________

 

Joshua doesn't leave work until the usual scene is infront of him: bright lights blinking away, signs shining when cars pass by and the temperature dropping by at least 5°c. 

But as he's on his typical journey home, something stops him in his tracks; _**Breathe**_. It's becoming far too cold ー snow is beginning to pile up  even more now and it doesn't take much to connect the dots to figure out that the boy has no place to go except for that 'shady' place. Even there it doesn't seem that warm. 

Maybe it's because of Joshua's caring nature that he decides to go find the boy and provide him with some warm clothing but maybe just maybe Joshua wanted to follow the mystery; the unorthodox meeting intriguing himー _tempting_ him in. 

Nevertheless he takes a trip to the closest shop. It's a convenience store which is meant for daily items and it's also convenient for Joshua himself as it was the nearest store.  

Rushing inside and rubbing his shoes against the mat so that he doesn't slip, he then grabs a trolly with reassured hands, walking to the first isle. 

He grabs packets of Jelly snacks and different flavours of ramen, hoping that Breathe could find a store with a free hot tap so that he could actually cook the noodles. Then, he throws in a twelve pack of water bottles on sale, reading _25% off all products._

Changing isles he finds the limited supply of clothing. A random hand warmer and yellow blanket is placed on the folded pieces of clothing so he adds them to his trolly. There's not much selection, though, he doesn't believe that _Breathe_ is particularly picky. He settles on a long, padded black coat, brown army boots (most likely not the same size as _Breathes_ feet), grey socks and some yellow mittens along with multiple long sleeved shirts. 

"Shua! Whoa ー now _**that's**_ a lot of ramen." Shocked by the voice Joshua turns on his heels to be met with a cheery Soonyoung holding a packet of crisps. " _Oh, this_? I saw a boy. He didn't look too well so I figured I'd help him out." 

"...Where is he then?" Soonyoung squints his eyes then scans the area hoping to spot the said male. 

"I said _saw_ , Soonyoung and that's what you're going to help me with."

" _ **Me**_!?"

Quite frankly, Joshua is scared to go back to that place alone and with enough persuasion, Soonyoung will definitely go with him. "I can't think of anyone else better for the job! You enjoy dancing, okay? Well, if you help me find him then you'll get to see a ton of people dancing and I bet you'll be impressed." As suspected, Soonyoung lights up, nodding his head in a fast paced motion. "Okay, okay, I'll help you. But! Don't you think it's...really **stalkerish**? I'm just saying he might not want your help. Maybe he thinks you're a creep, trying to pimp him out or something." Joshua takes his index finger then flicks his forehead, a distasteful look on his face. 

He clears his throat, "It's not _**creepy**_ , it's concern so come on." 

"Dude, _at least_ pay for it!" Soonyoung shrieks, quickly apologizing to the cashier who has had to endure the weird chat. Calming down, Joshua pays the lady, thanks her for the bags and forces Soonyoung to carry most of them. 

"I agreed to come with you. I didn't agree to be your slave!" Joshua ignores Soonyoung's complaints, taking him down the streets he remembers. Soonyoung shivers, "I'm starting to think you're really sketchy you know that, Shua? That alleyway was so creepy and why are there so many signs with directions? Are they trying to lure everyone in to kidnap them?" Joshua laughs, shaking his head in disbelief. 

"Well you know, carrying a sign that says ' _ **Stop**_ ' is pretty shady. We're here!" The blue sign that says open sits alone, being the only place with a tinge of colour. Other shops and buildings are in the dark, the street lights only acting as a silhouette for the buildings. It's a change of scenery; from the bright yellows to a cold hue of blue. Joshua can understand why Soonyoung would be a little apprehensive but at the same time, Joshua can't help to feel excited. As unusual as it may sound, his heart is quickening by the minute. 

"Wait, **why** are the stairs going down? This is super weird! And sketchy!" Soonyoung cries out as they begin walking down the metal steps, Joshua scolding him along the way. Once they reach the room, unlike last time, the pair are the center of attention. Whether it's because it doesn't look like their 'scene' or because they have a bunch of bags is debatable. The new attention makes both boys gulp, a lump forming in their throat as they're unable to speak. 

Joshua is able to inspect the other people, all but a few wearing worn out clothes and body's looking paper thin. Still, they're all smiling: some playing with the lit up shapes while the rest are surrounding Soonyoung and himself. 

There's no sign of _Breathe_ but as they're standing still, one man asks, "Are those for us?" Joshua is unable to speak so he has Soonyoung take over for him by a nudge to the ribs. "These? Yes! They're for you. Joshua here said he saw yous and thought a lot of you looked really skinny and cold so he bought these. Please accept them!" 

Joshua shoots him an 'oh my god what have you done?' look but the secret signaling is cut off when he sees widened smiles and multiple bows. "Thank you! Are yous going to stay? You could see us dance." As soon as he hears the word dance, Soonyoung plants himself on the floor, making room for Joshua while the people who don't wish to participate begin to munch on the jelly snacks. 

He takes a seat beside Soonyoung then, as if whispering says, "Soonyoung those weren't meant for them. They were meant for somebody else." 

"Dude, they all look starving. I'm sure your mystery friend will be just as grateful that you at least _gave_ him something. All of that ramen could feed 100 people!" Just as Soonyoung is speaking, he looks around to see that the jelly snacks are being devoured and the packets of noodles are being torn apart effortlessly then being thrown into a massive random pot of water. 

"...Or it could feed 23. Look, can we just watch them dance? We'll go look for whoever it is you're looking for after." Joshua lets out a prolonged sigh, hoping that when Breathe comes he'll at least be able to have some food. 

"Let's start! Sejun, who do you want to challenge." A boy with black and noticeable dimples steps onto the floor. "I challenge Jian." The boy called Jian who has a jelly worm hanging from his mouth gets up eagerly, taking the stage. 

While the two dance, Soonyoung and Joshua are already amazed at the different styles. Sejun is able to land difficult aerodynamic dance moves whereas Jian can bend his body to create dramatic yet intriguing figures. 

They declare Jian as the winner of that round then he picks another person. The cycle continues like that, each dancer showing various skills as their opponent but with their own interpretation. 

" _Breathe_!" A shorter man wearing one of the shirts that Joshua had bought calls out the familiar name, Joshua and Soonyoung turning around to see none other than the tall man in his mask with fresh bruises and cuts marking his skin. 

The guy on the stage runs to him, lips forming into a thin line as he checks out the wounds. "I'm fine, hyung. A woman started chasing me, probably thinking that I was trying to mug her and she kept hitting me with her bag. Thing is, the bag had a sharp zipper so it cut me. But I kept my sock!" _Breathe_ begins laughing, the sound sweet but the feeling bitter. 

The older boy tuts, "Is there even a point to wearing the mask? You shouldn't wear it if all they're going to do is hurt you.." Breathes voice grows weaker as he buries his face into the latters shoulder and wraps his arms around his waist. "Hyungie you know why I can't." Joshua listens in close as the rest of the boys surround Breathe. "Why can't you have more confidence in yourself?" The boy in the mask sighs. "I'm working on it, hyung. One day I'll take the mask off." The older one shakes his head but ruffles _Breathes_ hair in an affectionate manner. "So one day you'll show us what you look like?" _Breathe_ holds out his pinky finger then proceeds to wrap it around the other boys finger. "Mhm! I promise." To show his sincerity he lifts up part of his mask, showing a beautiful, toothy smile. 

It's a boxy smile, well, almost. It's more that of a boxy one than a heart shaped smile. It leaves everyone in awe, including Joshua. It's a smile with no hidden meaning, just one of genuineness. 

Whilst the male begins cleaning _Breathes_ cuts out, Soonyoung leans close to Joshua, "Is that the boy you were talking about?" Joshua nods. "Ahah! Of course _you'd_ like a bit of mystery." Soonyoung begins laughing loudly, catching people's attention. 

Two hands land on the pair of boys shoulders, Soonyoung turning stiff and Joshua becoming stone as they look up to see _Breathe_. "So what brings you two here?" Joshua hears his angelic laugh and suddenly: he can't speak. He didn't have this problem earlier so why is it happening now? 

Fortunately Soonyoung speaks for him (again.) "Joshua brought some food for your friends and um he saw you here the other day, right Shua?" Soonyoung digs his elbow into his side, forcing a response. "R-right." 

"Well he saw you and he thought you were good at dancing so he asked me to come because I enjoy dancing, too." _Breathe_ lifts his mask once more, showing the pair a charming grin. "Good! Then you're in for a treat. Although, I can't really dance at the moment." _Breathe_ laughs, taking a seat beside Soonyoung. "I can always watch and tell you about them though!" Soonyoung smiles happily, nodding his head. "I'd like that a lot." 

"Also, hi again.Thank you for helping out my friends." _Breathe_ waves at Joshua. But he doesn't wave back, he's much too embarrassed for that. His cheeks turn red as he looks at the floor. ' _They were all for you_ ' he says in his head. 

The shorter boy from before brings over two packets of jelly snacks, giving one to _Breathe_. The masked boy starts getting excited, unable to control his newfound energy. "These are my favourite!" Joshua looks up to see the boy trying to eat the jelly while holding his mask. Soonyoung decides to help, taking a jelly from the packet then feeding the giddy boy. "Thank you." Soonyoung grins, "It's no problem." 

Joshua frowns, _'At least they were his favourite.'_

____________________________ 

 

The rest of the night Soonyoung and _Breathe_ are talking away, laughing, whilst Joshua is left as a third wheel. The dancing is good of course but he thought the masked person would talk to him a **little** more considering he's the one who bought the food and clothes and not Soonyoung. He doesn't complain though, Soonyoung's been having a difficult time so he should deserve the attention more. Still, it doesn't hurt any less that _Breathe_ didn't explain why he disappeared when they were in the middle of talking. 

"Soonyoung, it's getting late. We should go now." Soonyoung whines, "but I want to stay here longer!" Joshua shakes his head. "It's okay, Soonyoung-ah. We'll see each other _**soon**_ again." _Breathe_ and Soonyoung both laugh at the corny joke, wishing each other goodbye. 

"By the way, Joshua." He stops when he hears his name. "I'm sorry if my prank on you earlier went a little too far. You weren't talking to a post box." _Breathe_ chuckles, waving goodbye to the pair. Joshua smiles, satisfied by the answer. He wasn't crazy after all! "That's good to hear." 

As they walk back to their homes, Soonyoung comments, "I really like _Breathe_." 

"Not surprising, you're both pretty hyper." 

They part separate ways, Joshua going back to a home that's empty all to watch the news channel for three hours. 

 

Oh well, _at least today was eventful._


End file.
